Hygienic shoe-tree.



R. F. VM@ HEUSEN;

HYGIENIG SHOE TREE. PPLNATIGN HLED 11152.25,

UNITED sTATEs PATENT onirica. f

RICHARD vFLETCHER VAN HEUSEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HYGIENIC SHOE-TREE.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application led March 26, 1908. Serial No. l123,100.

To all whom 'it 'may concern:

B e it known that I, RICHARD FLETCHER VAN HnUsEN, a citizen of the United-States, residing at New York, in the county'and AState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hygienic Shoe-Trees; and I- do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

My invention relates to a hygienic shoe tree, and is intended to embody in a-unitaryV structure not only the mechanical'characteristic advantages of the customary shoe tree,

but alsotocombine therewith the additional function of absorbing from the shoe lining,

vin connection with which the tree is used, the Afermentable organic compounds whichY tend toremain occluded inthe lining and which, to a 4greater or less extent give ofi' objectionable emanations.

In carrying out my invention lI .provide the shoe tree with a filling of a material whose capacity for thelocclusion of the emanationsl given off from the shoe lining is fargreatcr than the shoe lining itself. The material that I prefer for this purpose and the one that'I contemplate using in ractice is charcoal or its equivalent in a nely'subdivided condition. To utilize it tol advantage for the purposes of thepinvention, I provide the Vshoe tree with a Ihollow interior chamber o'r .cavity .lined with a permeable' fabric whose intcrstices arc sufficiently small to prevent the sifting out of the powdered charcoal, but-sufficiently penetrable to permit the ready infiltration into the mass of the emanations-given olf from the shoe lin ing. 'I also provide the shoe tree with suitable channels, grooves and passages'for'the ready -acccss of the emanations to the exterior of the inclosing casing oi* fabric in which the 4charcoal is contained, and for sufficiently permitting the subsequent giving off of the occluded emanations when the shoe tree'is removed and exposed to the air.

I am aware that it .has been heretofore proposed to providea hollow shoe tree with a filling of absorbent cotton and to cause the cotton to' absorb a liquid'disinfectant sup# plied to it by mea-ns of a pressure bulb, for

the purpose of employing thevapors given oil" by' the absorbent cotton impregnated with the liquid disinfectant, for such antiseptic action as they may be able to exert upon the shoe lining. radically diferent from what is proposed in this suggested expedient. By the practice ofmy invention, instead of attempting to neutralize the fermentable organic matter occludedin the shoe lining during wear, by means of antiseptic vapors given voff from the shoe last, I Withdraw into the shoe last the occluded or anic vapors contained therein by means o a material having a vastly greater capacity for the occlusion of such vapors, and which is itself suliicicntly hygroscopic to fully absorb any moisture given off by the shoe lining without its becoming appreciably moist, and which, furthermore, is of such a character that when it is exposed to the air it will as freely give off the absorbed vapors and fully resume its original maximum efliciency.' Incidentally, also the material that I employ is readily and homogeneously miscible with sachet powder, lav! cnder, or the like which, employed in reasonably moderate proportions will bc found acceptable to the user.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown, for the purposes of illustration only, a vconvenient form of shoe tree constructed and arranged for carrying my invention into effect; although, it will be clearly understood that this is but one of the many structural embodiments of which the shoe tree, adapted for the carrying out of my invention, is susceptible, and-that I do not in any ltion a, to which the heel portion b may be 'conveniently connected 1n any suitable way,

as for instance, by the' slotted plate e and the screw d, so that the last may be readily inserted Within and removed from the shoe;

although, as will -be readily understood', this.

particular connection is not of the essence of the invention. The shoe tree is hollowed out, in'any convenient or suitable manner,

My invention, however, is

vas

` Iwith a suitable number of passages, grooves and is lined with textile fabric g within which is contained the powdered charcoal or its equivalent with or without a suitable proportion of sachet powder, lavender, or the like. .v

It is a characteristic feature of powdered charcoal, in this connection, ythat it'will absorbtlie noxious emanations from the shoe.,

lining, without withdrawing and occluding tlic aromatic emanation of the sachet powder. l't therefore permits the interchange, by the shoe lining, of the said aromatic emanations for those which are ab` sorbed by the charcoal. i

The textile fabric is, as hereinbefore eX- plained, of such weave that its interstices will sutiiciently prevent the sifting out of its interior contents, while, at the same time permitting the ready infiltration ot', the emana tions given oit from the shoe lining and also the complete subsequent aeration ofthe mass. For the purpose ot' obtaining free access of the emanations to thefabric casing and its 'cont-ents and the equally complete Subsequent aeratiou thereof, I provide the tree or channels, as shown, to fully subserve this intended purpose. The arrangement ot these passages, grooves and channels may, of

course, be varied extensively within the limits of good practice, the particular arrangement shown in the 'drawing being chosen las illustrative of tribution thereof. p,

What I claim is: f 1. A hygienic shoe-tree, having a cavity lined with a permeable fabric and 'constituting a container holding a powdered Inaterial adapted to absorb and occlude within itself the organic vapors emanating from' vcicncy upon exposure to the air, and passages connecting the cavity with the surface o't' the tree in combination 'with an aromatic powder adinixc'd'v with said material; substantially as described. y l

ln testimony whereof l aiiix my signature, in presence of tivo witnesses.

RICHARD FLETCHER VAN HEUSEN.

Witnesses:

JoiiN C. Peix'Nln, lViLmiui H. Devis.

a satisfactory di. 

